


Found

by sunfl0wers



Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Gen, Love Confessions, M/M, Requited Love, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-07-13 06:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16012514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunfl0wers/pseuds/sunfl0wers
Summary: This is a rewrite of the scene from the first episode where Jughead and Archie talk at Pops.(Or, cannon is the same except Archie has feelings for Jughead and stopped talking to him because of it.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Español available: [Found [Translated to Spanish]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16545902) by [Cazuelin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cazuelin/pseuds/Cazuelin)



> /Authors Note/  
> This is a rewrite of the iconic scene from the first episode where Jughead and Archie talk at Pops. I’m definitely considering continuing this, so make sure to comment if you’d want me to, and what you’d like to see if I did (I definitely appreciate comments and such) I don’t own the characters, sadly enough.  
> On to the story...

 

_ "He was looking for the girl next door, but instead- he found me." _

 

_ Pops diner was a town staple and basically the only restaurant in town. Nevertheless, it was the only place open into late hours of the night. So, where else better for a guilt ridden Archie Andrews to search for the girl next door? Although as time has gone on I have come to believe he was not truly just looking for her, but rather for someone to talk to. Someone to understand him... _

 

Archie walks into Pops, pushing the door open and sounding its bell. It’s fairly late, not much before midnight, but if Betty Cooper were to be anywhere but home this would be it. He’d rather not to gain the attention of Pop Tate himself, though, seeing as he doesn't feel like explaining his current situation. Or eating for that matter. Looking around the nearly empty diner, all Archie can hear is the wind whooshing outside and the faint clacking of a keyboard. Without even having to look towards the noise, he is almost completely certain of who is tucked away in the back booth typing. Forsythe Pendleton Jones III, better known as Jughead .

As Archie makes his way across the diner, Jughead sighs and sets his (still open) computer to the side. He had seen that Archie came in. He just didn’t know if Archie would notice him. He’s surprised that he’d even bother to talk to him, and isn’t even quite sure he wants him to come over. It looks like that decision is already made though, he muses, noticing Archie coming in his direction. The ginger walks over and stands by the table, stuffing hands in his pockets. He looks out the nearest window and asks “Hey, Jug. Can I sit?”

“You obviously can, the question is if you will.” Jughead deadpans, looking up at his ex-friend. He weakly smiles, barely moving the corners of his mouth up, and takes a seat across from him. Archie knows him well enough to know that he would have just said no if he didn’t want him to sit.  “I may have just fucked up.”, Archie laments. 

“Oh look at you, using big-boy words now” Jughead sarcastically remarks, going on to ask “What’d you do this time?” 

“I think I kinda broke Bettys heart. Apparently she  _ likes  _ me and…” Archie says, his voice trailing off. He feels guilt rising up his stomach and into his heart. If only he could  _ somehow _ feel the same way about her. Earlier that night at the school dance she had said she wanted to be with him.That she thought they’d be great together. It ended with him having to reject her, and her fleeing the dance crying. Archie’s afraid he hurt one of his closest friends, and maybe even lost their friendship. They, along with Jughead, had been best friends since as long as any of them could remember. Things change, though. Obviously.

Jughead raises his eyebrows, and waits a moment before speaking. “What? You don’t like her the same way? She’s everything you’ve ever wanted.” he says, staring directly into the redheads eyes.  “She’s everything people think I want. Everything I should want. But I don’t, and now she’s heartbroken. Because of me. I still love her, just not in  _ that  _ way.” he rambles, averting his eyes and sighing. Jughead makes eye contact with him again, then closes his eyes and says “Just talk to her. I would have gone a long way with me.”

Archie starts playing with a pepper shaker, rolling it around on the table. “I’m sorry for ignoring you, acting like we weren't even friends…”, he says, eyes focused on the shaker as he moves it around.The two boys haven’t talked in quite a while. Not since after Archie blew him off. During the summer between freshman and sophomore year, they had planned on going on a road trip together. Just the two of them and the open road. But Archie never showed up, and never offered an explanation as to why he didn’t show. Jughead takes a deep breath in, and amends “We don’t have to talk about this tonight.”

“No, but I can tell you’re hurt by it.”, Archie says. He knows the boy across from him enough to know that despite what people may think he does have a heart. A rather big one, at that. 

“Of course I am.”, Jughead says, before adding  “Why, then? Why did you decide you didn't want to be friends anymore?”

“Because, I didn’t…. don’t… want to be friends.”, Archie stammers. A thousand questions race around in Jugheads mind,  _ Why did he come over here then? _ then,  _ Did I do something wrong? _ , and simply _ Why _ ? But they are all overwhelmed by a feeling of bitterness and a increasingly heavy heart. As much as he wants to hate him and never speak to or think about him again, he can’t help but love him as much as he always has. Years of love don’t go away in a heartbeat or a summer. It feels like hours pass by, and neither boy wants to say anything. Finally, Archie breaks the stiffening silence “I didn’t mean to say that.”

“What, you were going to give me some bullshit lie as an answer?” Jughead says, rolling his eyes. _God, this sucks._ _Why do I always end up being hurt by those I love?_

“Probably. That kind of is too, though…” Archie replies. He can’t bear to meet the brown eyes boring into his face. Jughead shakes his head, “God, Andrews. You’re an enigma.” 

Archie chuckles softly. His chest feels like it’s beating a million miles a minute, and his thoughts are scrambled.  _ What to do? What to say? Can’t tell the truth… have to tell the truth…  _ Following what feels like a year of silence he blurts out “Yeah, I didn’t want to be friends. That’s not because I don’t care about you, though, it’s because I care about you to much. I, uh, felt… feel... things for you that I probably shouldn’t. And I didn’t know how to deal with that.”, and then quietly “Why you? Why not her?”

Archie abruptly stands up and kicks the booth, causing Jughead to flinch in shock. They both are rendered speechless. As the writer closes his laptop and begins to gather his words, Archie jogs out the door.

_ “I’m so sorry.” _


	2. two

_Slow spring days drawled by and nothing of major significance happened. Neither of us dared approach each other in fear of what might be said. Things sucked. Until one rainy night…_  
Archie walks home from school one rainy day with Betty, who has begrudgingly forgiven him for letting her down. He figures he’d go crazy if it wasn’t for her, he needs someone to talk to after all. Having no real friends would be awfully lonely. They weave their way through the suburban sidewalks of their neighborhood in silence sheltered by his umbrella. Betty breaks the silence that has settled over them, asking, “What has you down? You’ve been pretty out of it the past week.”  
Archie keeps his eyes on his feet as they splash through the water and elects to say nothing. He doesn't want to lie but he doesn't want to talk about this even more. As much as he appreciates having someone to talk to he doesn't feel ready to discuss his problems.  
She insists, “Archie? Is this about me? Is it about whatever fight you had with Jug?”  
“What makes you think we got into a fight?”  
“You’ve been ignoring each other this whole school year, and now you’ve been giving each other weird looks when you happen to pass by each other in the hallways.”  
They reach a spot on the sidewalk between their houses and stop, turning to face each other. “No, we’re good. You’re reading into things too much. Talk to you later.” Archie says, heading into his house with his head hung low despite protests to continue the conversation from Betty. When he gets inside he heads straight up to his room only to find a figure waiting there in the shadows of the dreary and dim late afternoon sun. Archie stands frozen for a moment as if he has seen a ghost. They make brief eye contact and Archie sits down next to him, “Jug? What are you doing here?”  
“I just wanted to talk. You ran off from Pops without letting me speak.”  
“Listen, it’s probably best to forget about it.”  
“What if I don’t want to? Did it ever occur to you that I may feel that way about you as well?”  
“You don’t, do you?” Archie questions, scratching his head. He wonders why Jughead has come and is saying that if he doesn't feel the same. Because he doesn't, right? Archie muses.  
“I do. Okay?” Jughead says exasperatedly, punctuating the sentence with a wave of his hands. Archie’s density about personal matters as always gotten on his nerves. He figures most people would have taken the hint by then. Not that he doesn't find it somewhat endearing, though.  
Archie looks away from the blanket he was staring into and meets his childhood best friends brown eyes, “Since when?”  
“Since forever, you dummy,” Jughead chuckles then continues, “That is why I’ve always loathed hearing you talk about your crushes and girl problems. Not just because they’re silly and annoying to listen to. You could have just as well been rejecting me a hundred and one times”  
“Gosh, I’m sorry, Jug. I never meant to hurt you at all. Not then, not during our conversation at Pops, not ever.”  
“I know. You wouldn’t intend to hurt a fly, Andrews.”  
Archie chuckles, “Are you still going to be calling me by my last name while my tongue is down your throat?”  
They both laugh a little and lean in to kiss. It quickly goes from gentle to making out, and eventually they have to break to catch air.  
“God, Arch…”  
“What?”  
“Nothing,” Jughead responds, then after a moment, “So, do you even want to be with me? Your reputation would take a blow and I particularly remember you saying you wish you had feelings for Rapunzel instead of me.”  
Archie immediately leans forward and says, “Yeah, because I thought you would never reciprocate my feelings! I honestly don’t care who knows. I’ve spent too long wanting you and being heartbroken over this to let anything get in the way. It may not be easy but oh, well. The best things aren’t.”  
Jughead simply nods and grins, resting his head on his best friend's (now boyfriend’s) shoulder.  
_“Thank you.”_


End file.
